Treacherous Intentions

By: dontwaitupxx


Chapter Thirteen


Following Link's return to Hyrule Castle, he was given precisely one day to gather himself and to follow up on his Royal Guard before he was sent out again with the Princess on her excursion to the first of the three springs.

Though he wouldn't admit it to anyone, the fever and infection had weakened him, and he found that he did not have the same strength he had once had prior. He was still strong, of course – far stronger than anyone in the castle, no doubt – but he found himself gasping for breath more, needing to rest more. That, in itself, was absolutely unacceptable, and something that he strove to hide from the rest of the world.

Especially the Princess.

Prior to their departure to the south – their first stop was the Spring of Courage nestled deep within the Faron region – Link did some digging in the castle libraries. He wanted to find out more about his father: about his time in the Royal Guard and perhaps why his mother sought to keep that information secret from him. During his studies, Link was not able to find out any information about the latter, but did find some interesting information about the former: during his father's tenure with the Royal Guard, he was specifically listed as part of the Queen of Hyrule's Royal Guard detail. As it just so happened, his father had died heroically, defending the Queen until his dying breath, during the Yiga Clan's successful assassination of her.

The irony was not lost on Link.

With one less thing to worry about, one more loose end tied, Link felt exponentially better about knowing his father was of the Royal Guard. He had known, without a doubt, that his father was at least no longer a part of the Royal Guard, but to know now that he was dead, and could not get in Link's way during his mission, was all the more satisfying.

Still, it made Link wonder how his mother had lied so easily to him, stating that his father was a soldier at the Tabantha Garrison. She must have known the truth, for she was his wife, and it was listed in the census of that region that he was of the Royal Guard. Why would they both keep that information from him? Why would they keep it a secret? Link's only guess was that because his father was listed as a part of the Queen's guard detail, he had to keep it confidential. Perhaps the census had been released after his death.

That being said, Link would never know the truth, as the truth had died alongside both his mother and his wretched father.

He felt not a drop of remorse towards the man, for had he truly cared about his mother and himself, he would have had his will in order prior to his death, and would have found a way to make sure that his mother had been cared for. As it was, it had not been, and no care or stipend from the monarchy had come their way.

As it was, Link had more important things to worry about.

It wasn't until he and the Princess had departed from the ranch on the Hyrule Fields that he was made privy to her intentions.

"I think I should like to visit Deya Village on our way down to the Spring of Courage."

Had Link been walking instead of on the back of Epona, he would have surely come to a dead stop, as his brain struggled to come up with a feasible reason why they couldn't stop in Deya. He had not been back to his hometown in the light of day in over five years. He had not spoken to any of his neighbors since his mother's passing. Though it had been half a decade, a lone trip in the shadows of the night had confirmed the rumors: his childhood home was exactly as he had left it, all the way down to the broken tea cup next to the kitchen kettle.

The children of the town, the ones who hadn't known him, even went so far as to call the old shack on the corner haunted, as their parents warned them not to go inside, or go snooping around. They told the tale of a young man who loved his mother very much, but not enough to save her. The older children, the ones that were still young when he had known him, only egged on these rumors. They had to have some way to entertain themselves.

It wouldn't do well for Link to reappear five years later, having not made any point to contact anyone in his hometown, especially with the goddess-damned Princess of Hyrule at his side. He had no doubt that the gossips of his town had put two and two together that Link, the Hylian Champion, was the very same Link that fled in the night five years prior. They would ask questions, trying to fill in the five-year gap, and he couldn't have anyone asking questions that could arouse suspicion.

No, it was simply better if he and the Princess steered clear of the town altogether.

Link cleared his throat, as he pulled Epona up to Storm, "Princess, if I may-"

"I thought I made it perfectly clear I would prefer you to refer to me by my name."

Right, how could he have forgotten? She wouldn't let him forget, "My apologies, uh, Zelda," Link began, "But Deya Village is out of our way. We would need to go past the Bridge of Hylia, and we haven't got a moment to spare. Your father is expecting you back at the castle in three days time."

"Yes, yes, I'm well aware of the time limit my father gave me where I can be free outside of the castle walls," Zelda admonished, "But it shouldn't take any more than half a day to visit Deya, and if we ride through the night, we can make it to the spring by morning."

"I don't think it would be in your best interests to ride through the night just to visit some village of ill-kept shacks on top of a swamp."

"On the contrary, I do think it would be in my best interests to visit my people. And the hometown of my very own appointed knight."

Link sighed, bringing Epona up to speed with Storm once again, who had trotted ahead of him, "I really must stand my ground on this-"

"Tell me," Zelda pulled on Storm's reins, stopping her abruptly. The horse whinnied in protest, "Tell me why you are so adamant about staying clear of Deya Village. There's something you're not telling me. What could be so bad that you would go so far as to defy me, your Princess?"

Link closed his eyes, bracing himself for what was yet to come. What could he say that wouldn't come around to bite him later on?

Stick to the truths.

"I haven't been back to my hometown since my mother died five years ago," Link said, as they continued their way south at a slow walk, "It's been too painful for me to even come close to Deya Village, and so, I've stayed away."

"Oh…" Zelda whispered, any hint of frustration melting away, "Oh Link, I'm so sorry; how could I have forgotten?"

"It's quite alright," Link muttered, turning away, "It's just been a while since I've been home."

"Five years…" Zelda implored, "That's such a long time to be away from home."

"Aye," Link said, leaving it at that.

"I have to wonder," Zelda said, "Where did you go for those five years if you weren't at home or in the army?"

She couldn't just leave well enough alone, could she?

These were the questions he wanted the gossips to avoid asking. They might be able to connect the dots, but with it just being he and the Princess, Link felt comfortable in keeping her suspicions far from a certain organization.

Again, he chose to stick to certain truths, "I travelled the world," Link replied, which was true, as a grunt of the Yiga Clan, "I couldn't bear to go back. It's been five years, and yet the wounds are still fresh."

"A feeling I know too well," Zelda said, "Father always praised me for being so strong after my mother's death, but… you know, I was only six, when it had happened. And all of a sudden, I had the weight of the world put on my shoulders. I was and still am expected to unlock this sacred power on my own… I just shut down. In public, I never cried, but when finally alone in my room, and all my maids had left me… I could finally grieve for her."

It really was incredible how the women in his life always seemed to make his mother's death about them.

"We don't have to go into Deya Village," Zelda said, softly, "But I would very much like to still see the village, if from a distance, if that's okay. Just to get a feel for what your hometown might have been like."

As a Lieutenant of the Yiga Clan, Link knew better than to compromise with the enemy. However, against his better judgment, he found himself nodding, as he steered Epona and Storm off towards the east, across the Proxim Bridge.

A large tree was situated on the hills between Deya Village and the Hylia River. It was a place Link frequented as a small child, and a place where he and his mother spent picnics away from the hustle and bustle of their small village. Just the two of them; all they had needed was each other. It was also the last place he had seen his mother alive: her dying wish had been to lie under that same oak tree: their oak tree.

Most people would overlook his mother's grave. A small stone served as the headstone, to the right of the guardian deities. Since her death, small purple and white weeds had popped up over her grave.

Link fucking hated weeds.

It was cloudy as they made their way up to the tree. Link helped Zelda down from her horse and went to tie off the two horses behind the tree. While it would take a while for the villagers to notice two small Hylians under the tree, their horses were large, and Zelda's pristine white stallion was a dead giveaway. Link could not afford to have the villagers become curious.

Zelda sat down under the large oak tree, gazing out over the village. From their vantage point, they could clearly see the hustle and bustle of the village, as everyone went about their day. It was no Castle Town by any means, but still – the villagers got by just fine.

It was home.

Link recognized some of the people from their spot under the tree. He saw the blacksmith, working hard at his forge. It was from him that he had received his first sword. He saw the baker closing up her stand in the middle of the market, due to the inclement weather. It was from her that he had received a loaf of bread, a sort of pitiful offering after his mother's passing. All of the children had grown older and the ones his age had most certainly moved on from their small village. People would have been born and people would have died. Such is the way of life.

Link pulled out a couple packages of sticky rice balls prepared by the castle kitchens earlier that day. It was to last them until they at least got to the Spring of Courage, where Link would have the time to scavenge and forage while the Princess was praying. He handed a serving to the Princess, wordlessly, as they looked out over the village.

"You seem peaceful," Zelda observed, popping a rice ball in her mouth.

"My mother and I used to come up here all the time when I was younger," Link said, "This was our spot, away from the rest of the world. It's where my favorite and worst memories take place."

"Worst?" Zelda asked, her eyes lifting suddenly from her rice balls, the green orbs wide with concern.

Link gestured noncommittally towards his mother's grave, "I watched my mother die up here, on a beautiful spring day. It doesn't make sense, to this day, how the world could be so lovely on the worst day of my life. I buried her right over there, where those weeds have sprung up."

Zelda immediately stood up, wiping the dirt from her pants, "Link I'm so sorry," she looked positively mortified, "If I had known, I wouldn't have sat down-"

Link laughed, gesturing back towards the tree, "Relax. I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't expect you to sit down. I suppose this is the closest thing to my mother meeting Royalty. She used to always talk about wanting to meet the Queen."

It was morbid of him to say, he knew, but the bitch was so curious about his childhood, that maybe this would be the catalyst to get her to stop.

"Is that why you're always so silent?" Zelda asked, picking up one of her rice balls, "Why you never really open up about yourself?"

Link shrugged, "Not really."

"Is it about your mother?"

Link shrugged again, "It's not really my mother."

Zelda pursed her lips, "If, not your mother, then what? It always seems like you have something to hide," then, in jest, her eyes crinkling in mirth, "What secrets does our great hero hold?"

Stick to the truth as much as possible.

Link smiled then, looking towards her with an unintended sharpness to his eyes, "Well, if I told you that, then I'd have to kill you."

She stared back at him for a long five seconds.

Too truthful?

Luck was on his side then, as Zelda began giggling, pushing at his shoulder lightly, looking back towards the village.

"No, but really," Zelda said, "Why is it that you are always so quiet?"

Link let out a breath he hadn't realized he had been holding, and fabricated something out of thin air, "It's this whole 'defeat Ganon' thing. You know, I never asked to be the Hylian Champion," truth, "I never asked to pull that sword from the stone," also the truth, "and it's not easy to be the Hero wielding the Sword that Seals the Darkness. I feel that with so much at stake, and with so many eyes upon me, I feel it necessary to stay strong and silently bear any burden. My goal is to be as strong as I can be so that way when the time comes, and Ganon returns, I can do what I have to do. I can't mess up. I cannot fail," undeniably true: he could not fail.

Zelda smiled, then, her eyes sad, as she moved her hand to place on top of his, "It seems we are one and the same, you and I."

The next hour went by peacefully, as Zelda pointed towards the little village and asked Link questions. For the most part, Link answered truthfully. Most of the answers he had were from before his time with the Yiga Clan, so it was relatively safe waters for him to tread.

And then, just as they were about to head out towards the springs, the universe must have said no, for the skies opened up and began pouring around them. Instinctually, Zelda huddled even closer to the tree as small water droplets began to fall around her, cold and saturated with the promise of a strong storm.

Link sighed, looking off towards the east, where the storm was blowing in. It didn't look as though the storm was going to let up for a while. They should have left before the storm hit.

He looked towards the south, seeing similar storm clouds over the Faron region across Lake Hylia. Perhaps it wouldn't have made a difference.

Rather than waste his time sitting around, Link pulled the Master Sword off of his back, tossing his scabbard and baldric off towards the tree. He began running through various drills, with the intention to sharpen his skills to where they were prior to the Lynel infection. He had grown slow and sloppy since then. There was no room for error.

He was about fifteen minutes into his drills when the Princess's incessant voice whispered through the air, "I doubt this will let up anytime soon."

Link ignored her, swinging the Master Sword around, letting out a small huff in exertion.

"Even without knowing, your path seems to mirror your father's. You've dedicated yourself to becoming a knight as well," Zelda said, "Father says that you are one of the finest he's ever seen in the Royal Guard, and knowing that your father was of the Royal Guard as well, it only solidifies that…"

The only reason he was part of the guard was because it was essential to his mission. Nothing more, nothing less. In no way did he join in the guard to unknowingly 'follow' in his father's footsteps.

"Your commitment to the training necessary to fulfill your goal is really quite admirable. I believe that your mother and father would be quite proud."

Honestly? Link didn't give a rat's ass about whether or not his father was proud of him.

Her eyes were earnest though, a small, sad smile on her face, "I can see now why you would be the chosen one."

There she went on about the 'chosen one' again. As though a sword could possibly have the autonomy to 'choose' a wielder, a hero. It was just a sword, an exceptional sword if that, and in no way would it solidify him, or anyone, as a hero chosen by the Goddess.

He turned around towards her, only to see her gazing off towards his mother's grave, a sad look on her face.

"What if," she began, "one day… you realized that you just weren't meant to be a fighter. Yet the only thing people ever said… was that you were born into a family of the Royal Guard, and so no matter what you thought, you had to become a knight: in light of your father having been one as well. If that was the only thing you were ever told… I wonder, then… would you have chosen a different path?"

"I only found out that I was born into a family of the Royal Guard just last week," Link said, sticking the tip of his sword into the ground.

"Well, hypothetically. What would you have done?"

"A different path," Link echoed, taking a step towards her, "I can't say that I would have. You've told me yourself… this is a ten thousand year old prophecy. I think I am exactly where I'm supposed to be. I wouldn't have it any other way."

"You wouldn't?" Zelda whispered, looking up from the ground.

Oh sweet baby Ganon, she was crying now. Good grief…

"No, I wouldn't," Link said, tossing the Master Sword off to the side, "I think the only thing I might change is if I were able to keep my mother alive. But there's nothing to do about that now," he sat down next to the Princess under the tree. He reached into his pocket, handing her his handkerchief wordlessly.

"Sorry," Zelda whispered, "I don't mean to cry, it's just… you know, I wonder what might have happened if I hadn't been born a Princess. If I had been able to choose my fate."

Link, against his better judgment, took the bait, "What would you want to do?"

"I very much enjoy the ancient Sheikah relics," Zelda said, instantly, and Link had a sneaking suspicion that this had been something she had thought on for a while, "If I could choose a different path, I would want to be a scholar and researcher, perhaps creating my own ancient lab outside of Central Hyrule – perhaps out east or to the north. I would love to be able to study them on my own timetable, with no agenda and no rush."

"Perhaps we can take a look at the Sheikah relics and Guardians once we get back to the castle," Link offered, as a way to satisfy her and shut her up.

Zelda lit up at this, "Oh I would absolutely love that! I look forward to it!"

Good grief, did he just volunteer himself to tinker with the Sheikah relics and Guardians with her?

He instinctually reached for his shield.

The rain was beginning to lighten up, enough so that they would be able to continue their journey down to the Spring of Courage. Prior to their departure, Link knelt before his mother's grave, closing his eyes and placing his hand on the small stone, willing himself to remember her laugh, her face, her smile. As the years passed, the small details began to fade away, more and more until all he was left with was a fleeting memory, and an everlasting desperation to see her one last time.

He couldn't help but miss her.

As they made their way back towards the Proxim Bridge, Link looked back towards his hometown – towards Deya Village. The town had quieted down since the rain had started, but people were beginning to get back to work. He accidentally made eye contact with one of them, and though they were far away, he could see the villager squint at him, almost in recognition.

Link turned back around and spurred his horse on, keeping his speed with the Princess.


If there was one thing Link was learning about the Princess, it was that she held not a single drop of the blood of the Goddess in her.

Their excursion to the Spring of Courage had been fruitless, and that was putting it lightly. After dispatching of the monsters in the area, Link and Zelda had arrived at the spring. The spring was in a state of disrepair, being thousands upon thousands of years old. The old scriptures stated that the Golden Goddess Farore had blessed this place herself.

But of course, that was all myth and legend, not truth and fact.

The Princess had stepped into the spring with a sense of familiarity Link had not expected from her. She had changed into a prayer gown while Link stood outside keeping watch, and when he came back in, he was overwhelmed with the sight off far too much skin showing on the Princess's shoulders.

He had quickly turned around at that, deeply imbedding the tip of the Master Sword into the ancient stones and kept watch.

The Princess prayed silently for hours on end. She had explained that there was an ancient ritual tied with the pilgrimage to the three springs. Each ritual was unique in its own right, and required hours of focused prayer.

Link was certainly in for a long night.

After the first two hours, Link felt it safe to go ahead and forage for food, knowing full well that he had killed every last Lizalfo and Moblin in the area, and knowing that this place was completely abandoned of Hylians. When he came back, the Princess was in the same position as before, not having moved a mere inch since he had last seen her. She knelt waist deep in the waters before the statue, her hands held together in firm prayer, her eyes closed, and tilted up towards the benevolent eyes of the Goddess statue.

He stood guard for another hour, his ears twitching as he listened to the sounds of the wild around him. He would hear a bird here, a squirrel there, but from inside the covered area of the Spring of Courage, the sounds seemed muted, as he listened to the waters gently rustling against the stones. It was almost peaceful, as though there were a blanket of tranquility covering the place.

As though this place were, in fact, blessed by the Goddess.

Though, he supposed, if it were, the Princess would have yielded better results. As it was, she had not, and in the fourth hour, he stepped off to the side to begin preparing a fire for the Princess. Still, she did not move from her spot in the water, and Link had to wonder if she had fallen asleep as she knelt. The only sign that she had not was the firm look of concentration on her face, her eyebrows furrowed together, her eyes clenched shut, her pressed hands shaking.

It wasn't until nightfall that the Princess had finally emerged from the waters, her eyes opening, revealing tired, worn out orbs. She changed behind a corner of the walls, and Link took that as his cue to begin preparing a dinner of Hylian Shrooms and bird meat.

Their meal had been silent, and the Princess retired early for the night, whispering to herself about 'trying again tomorrow'. However, the next day proved similar results, and Link felt an odd sense of satisfaction, knowing that the Princess held no connection to the divine heavens whatsoever.

Twilight was approaching, and Link was nearing the end of his patience. Just how long could someone pray to the sounds of crickets and cicadas before they threw in the towel and gave it a rest?

They were expected back to Hyrule Castle that night, and so without any preamble, Link turned around, facing the Princess in the small spring.

"Zelda," Link said, his voice carrying across the spring, "The sun is beginning to lower in the sky. We are to make it back to Hyrule Castle by dusk. We must leave soon."

Wordlessly, Zelda nodded, standing and turning around back towards the entrance to the spring, grabbing her soaked dress in her hands up and away from her feet.

"I didn't hear anything," Zelda whispered, as she stepped out of the waters, "I prayed and prayed for hours, and yet I heard absolutely nothing from Her."

"It'll be okay, Princess," Link said halfheartedly. He knew that she was trying to speak to a deity that simply did not exist. He remembered the desperation well: the way he would pray every night to the Goddess for his mother to get better. How he would pray constantly for her health, when she only got more and more sick. He remembered screaming throughout his house after her death, and even screaming, his words were not heard. Her attempts, no matter how wholehearted they were, were lackluster at best, "This is only part of the pilgrimage. Perhaps at the next spring you will be able to hear her."

"Perhaps," Zelda whispered, wringing out the bottom of her saturated dress, "I'll change quickly and then we can be off."

They left the spring in silence, sticking to the main roads as much as possible. Their horses had been mostly tied up for the last three days, with only a few apples Link had been able to scavenge and the grass to graze on. While Epona, regardless of the circumstances, was generally well behaved, the same could not be said for Storm. Storm was restless, eager to gallop into the sunset to let off some steam, but the Princess kept her at a firm and steady trot as they made their way to the Bridge of Hylia.

By the time they reached the edge of the Faron region, Storm had just about enough of it.

The horse stomped its hooves erratically against the stonework just before the Great Bridge, neighing fitfully as it shook its head, moving in retreat of the bridge.

"Come on, Storm," Zelda wasn't having it either, pressing her knees firmly into the sides of the beast, edging it forward, "Just a little further."

Storm wouldn't budge however, and firmly kept all four of its hooves on the ground, shaking its head.

"Storm," Zelda warned, her eyes growing wide in frustration, "Move!" She dug her heels abruptly into the sides of the beast, in an attempt to subdue the beast.

This only made Storm angry. Storm reared backwards on its hind legs, neighing violently, and the Princess screeched, holding onto Storm's mane for dear life.

Oh, it was quite the spectacle to watch, for certain. However, Link supposed that he should intervene.

"Hey, hey, hey," Link soothed, jumping down from Epona and approaching the yielding beast with his hands raised in front of him in peace, attempting to calm the horse. Storm heaved forward on its front legs, snorting all the while. Link approached the horse as he would a camp of unknowing Bokoblins: silently and carefully, watching the horse for any sign of danger.

He looked into Storm's face and was immediately met with kind, endearing eyes. He smoothed out the hair on its neck, earning a nicker in response.

He pulled out an apple from his pack and tossed it to the Princess to use as an offering. At this, he got both horses immediately interested. He laughed, and pulled out a second for Epona, who had immediately come up beside him. Zelda placed the apple in front of Storm's mouth. Begrudgingly, the horse took the bait, giving her a happy nicker.

"How do you do that?" Zelda asked, her eyes wide in amazement, "With Storm. How are you able to calm her down like that?"

"I suppose I've always had a way with horses," Link responded, speaking coolly towards Storm, "I never grew up with horses," truth, "and really only ever encountered them after my mother died," vague, half truth, "and they've always been good to me. You have to be sure to take the time to sooth your mount… that's the only way it will know how you truly feel. They're smart, intelligent creatures. They can sense your distress, and they're highly empathetic. If you're stressed, they'll also be stressed."

"I suppose that makes sense," Zelda said, "and here I was just about to march him up to the ranch to trade in for a different horse."

"You forget," Link said, "that horses of a single color, like your white stallion, are exceptionally capable; but they are known for their poor temperaments."

"I didn't know that," Zelda confessed.

"No?" Link laughed, "That's one of the first things I learned in-"

In the Yiga Clan. As a new recruit. Deep within the hideout. Being given a single colored horse for one of his very first field missions.

"Don't piss it off," they had said, "or it'll buck you off faster than you can say 'Hail Ganon'."

Zelda looked at him quizzically, "One of the first things you learned where?"

Link hauled himself onto Epona and spurred her into a trot, "Nothing," he whispered, tilting his head back towards the Princess, "Just don't piss it off."